Automatic railway-car coupling



A. BERNARDL.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-9.5, I92I.

1 A1 9,009. 7 Patented n '6, 1922.;

2 SHETS-SHEET 1.

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A. BERNARD]. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, I92!- Patented June 6, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ALrn-nno nnnnannr, or sannovsn, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-OAR GOULPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1922.

Application filed May 25, 1923. Serial No. 4.723153.

.T 0 all 107mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anrunno BERNARDI, a citizen of Italy, residing at Sandoval, in the county of Marion and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic Railway-Car Coupling; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

lhe object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective coupler for railway and similar cars having in connection therewith mean for coupling the air brake train pipe under conditions in which the operation of one of the coupling pins, or the coupling pin of one car, to release the knuckle jaw carried thereby causes, in the separation of the cars, the release of the jaw on the other car and the raising of the coupling pin so as to set the parts on theother car without special manipulation in position for recoupling to avoid the necessity of having an attendant or brakeman adjust or set the coupling member on the other car; and with this object in view the invention consists in a construction, combination and relation of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side View of a coupler of which the members are carried by the adj acent ends of adjoining cars and are arranged in coupled relation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional View of one of the coupler members after the cars have been separated by the release of' one of the knuckle jaws.

Figure 5 is a face view of one of the coupler members.

Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the coupling pins.

Figure 7 is a similar view of one of the knuckle jaws.

The draw heads 10 which may be mounted in any suitable or conventional manner are provided with depending longitudinal tubular extensions 11 forming guides for plungers 12 having the actuating and cushioning springs 13 and provided at their front ends with brake pipe coupling heads 14 of which the divided jaws 15 are adapted to interlock and are suitably fitted with washers or cushioning element 16 to provide air tight packing so as to establish effectlve communication between the train pipe sections 17 for the air brake pressure, said heads 14 carrying extensions 18 between which and the stationary train pipe sections 17 are arranged flexible hose sections 19. These train pipe coupler heads are yieldingly held extended by the springs 13 and when the cars carrying the same come into coupling relations, these heads are interlocked and repressed with the springs 13 held in a compressed condition ready to ad vance the heads 1d as the cars, after being uncoupled move apart.

The car coupler knuckle jaws 20 which are of the J anney type are carried as in the vordinary practice by the draw heads 10, being mounted thereon by means of pivot pins 21, and each jaw carries a locking arm 22 operating in the plane of the draw bar for Co operation with the coupling pin 23 and an operating arm 24 having engagement with a shoulder 25 on the follower 12 which carries the train pipe coupler head. Said shoul der 25 is preferably overhung by a lip 26 which provides for an interlock ng engagement. between the operating arm of the car coupler jaw and the follower 12, said lip being beveled at its upper side to form a cam for cooperation with a beveled or cam face 27 at the lower end of the coupling pin 23. Also the coupling pin which is prererably cross sectionally rectangular is provided with a cut-away portion or recess 28 which is arranged in the plane of the looking arm of the jaw 20 when the pin is partly raised to permit of the opening of the jaw or the swinging movement of the locking arm to permit of the opening or releasing movement of the knuckle jaw.

In operation when two cars equipped with a coupling mechanism embodying the invention come together, the engagement of the air brake coupling head causes the repression thereof to release the knuckle jaws which are adapted to engage in the ordinary way, the projecting edge of the jaw of one coupler member bearing against the operating arm of the other member, and when the jaws are in their proper positions they are locked by the coupling pins as in the ordinary practice. couple the cars, one of the coupling pins may be raised by any suitable means to release the locking arm of the jaw cooperating When it is desired to un-.

therewith and the cars separate, obviously, the spring actuated plungers or fol.- lowers will be extended, with the result that the cam faced lips on both followers will raise the coupling pins to the limit of their upward. movement while the operating arms of the knuckle aws will be swung forward to completely open said jaws ready for a subsequent coupling operation. The coupling pins however will not be released so that they can be withdrawn and therefore misplaced or lost by reason of thefact that the locking arms remain in engagement with the upper walls of the recesses or cavities in said pins, and are in a position with reference thereto, to be swung rearwardly as soon as the coupler or knuckle jaw of an opposing coupler comes in contact therewith without preliminary adjustment or positioning by an attendant. The coupling members will remain permanently in position for re coupling and cannot be displaced either by accidentor surreptitiously to prevent recoupling, except by repressing the plunger 12, which, being provided with a concealed and very heavy spring, cannot be accomplished manually and cannot be accom plished successfully because the plunger must be held in the repressed position in order to permit of the knucklejaw remaining closed. The release of the plunger and its immediate return to its extended position brings the knuckle jaw into coupling p0- sition.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim is l. A car coupler having a pivotal knuckle jaw provided with a locking arm, a coupling pin for engaging the locking arm to hold the jaw in its coupled position, and a relapse spring extended follower for repression by a similar follower on an opposing car having means for disengaging said coupling pin and opening the 2. A car coupler having a pivotal knuckle jaw provided with a locking arm, a coupling pin for engaging the locking arm to hold the jaw in its coupledposition, and a spring 3. A car coupler having a pivotal knuckle jaw provided with a locking arm, a coupling pin for engaging the locking arm to hold the jaw in its coupled position, and a spring extended follower for repression by a similar follower on an opposing car having means for disengaging said coupling pin and openmg the aw, said means includmg a shoulder on the follower cooperating with an operating arm on the jaw.

4. A car couplerhaving a pivotal knuckle jaw provided with a locking arm, a coupling pin for engaging the locking arm to hold the jaw in its coupled position, and a spring extended follower for repression by a similar follower on an opposing carhaving means for disengaging said coupling pin and opening the jaw, said follower carrying an air brake coupler jaw.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALFREDO BERNARDL i tn esses Jon LENZINI, I RoMno CAsrnLLAnI. 

